We pledge to Smirnoff's Equalising Music initiative with Annie Mac, The Black Madonna and more

At Mixmag we are dedicated to supporting diversity in dance music - and using our position as the world’s leading electronic music media to increase the visibility and tell the stories of artists, DJs, promoters and clubbers of every kind.

After all, dance music was born from the marginalized and the misfits of society, and club culture is at its core based on building inclusive communities – with membership based on shared passion alone.

We firmly believe that the more diverse the make-up of the industry, the richer and more exciting electronic music and club culture becomes. We’re incredibly privileged to be in a position to shine a spotlight on artists and events and talent that might otherwise be overlooked, and to help break down traditional barriers and inequities, in our corner of the world at least.

That involves everything from highlighting and celebrating incredible female and LGBTQ clubbing collectives and breakthrough artists, to supporting the work of organisations who raise up female and trans people in the industry, to giving space for the perspectives of different diverse voices in the pages of the magazine, to hiring writers and photographers and staff from different backgrounds and demographics, and even to seeking out and acknowledging those originators of electronic music and club culture who have previously been overlooked because they didn’t fit the accepted narrative.

And it also includes our formal commitment – since 2016, when we first helped shape the Equalising Music initiative – to giving an equal balance to our artist coverage, from our front covers to our new artists slots. Of course it can’t stop there. As Annie Mac said at the launch of the Equalising Music Pledge, “We are all acutely aware of the enormous contribution women make to this business, and yet there’s still so much work to be done to ensure they’re embraced and championed, both in front of and behind the scenes."

We’re delighted to join Annie and many others and re-affirm our pledge to continue to support the Equalising Music initiative with a new commitment: to equalizing the balance of our Mixmag Live events between male and female artists. From the DJ booth to the dancefloor, our diversity is our strength.

Check out a list of pledges below.